We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Stacy Kroot. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Stacy below.

Alright, Stacy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?

There are moments in your life that leave an indelible impression, for me it was when I was around seven or eight year’s old.

At the corner of my street was a very hip exclusive women’s clothing store called Pucks.
One day my best friend and I walked in. The owner was this man with long dark hair and kind face, I can still see him in my head. He actually spoke with us, was very nice, and engaging as opposed to having us leave. My bestie blurted out “It’s her birthday!”, he wished me a happy birthday and gave me a silk paisley printed neck scarf (it was the 60’s), we left giggling in amazement. He then came running after us, we panicked thinking maybe we should not have left with the scarf, it turned out he just forgot to give me the ring that went with it. From that point I would stop in to say hi, as now, he was my new friend!

One day I went in to show him a macrame key chain I had made, show and tell as a kid. He then said if I made some more he would sell them in the shop. By the next week I walked in with about eight more different keychains with varying colors and beads. He then proceeded to lay them all out to display them in a prominent special spot on this shiny glass and metal case, it was so exciting! I was paid 25 cents for each one. I would go back regularly to see what sold and bring more. That was the moment I realized I could do the artistic things I loved and earn money.

Stacy , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have been an artist all my life, working professionally in the art and visual design field for over 29 years, including freelancing, independent commissions, and teaching. Inspiration is everywhere. Staying open with a fascination for the incongruous is what defines my sensibility. I can talk about creative ideas and the human condition for hours…like a never-ending roadmap with switchbacks.

What sets me apart is the approach I bring to all art and visual design. I have a strong support structure made from curiosity, education, and hands-on skills, with a myriad of mediums and applications – i.e., painting, sculpture, photography, woodworking, metal, ceramics, installation art, interior architecture and applied design, prop & display production. All of this combined affords me an expansive flexibility in the creative process. I arrive at problem-solving solutions and deliver creative end products that are said to be innovative, thoughtful, and unique.

If I had to say, “What I am most proud of,” It is my ability to remain open, listen, and allow my thoughts to have quick free-fire association and my ability to pivot, working between classic principles of art and design and detached naivete. Often, I can see things fully complete from the start while also maintaining very close attention to detail. Beyond the work, it is the moments in my process that I value most. I am grateful for the feedback others have shared with me and take great pride in their observations and comments. For example: I‘m so quick in generating ideas, and they loved working with me. Someone once said they could see the factory working once given a suggestion and the steam pumping from the top of my head. Another client described me as a visual alchemist, I thought that was so cool, and on cue… generated a lot of images in my head! lol.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Oh, this is always uncomfortable to speak of and I think a lot of creatives might agree…
A lot of us spend years studying and honing our craft, not unlike any other profession. However, there seems to be a constant push for creatives to have to justify pricing for our services and art. What seems so “easy” is actually years of training, and we as creatives deserve to be compensated for that, as in any other profession. For example in applied design, anyone can purchase design programs and learn how to use them, what does not come with those programs is the knowledge and understanding of art and design principles, their potential applications in production and the psychology of audience perceptions.

Art is also more than just visual, it includes music, dance, theater and there is also an art to science. It is what gives heart to society, it speaks of our human condition, it feeds our soul in the hard times and gives us a way to experience things differently so as to correct ourselves through introspection. Art is everyone’s way to connect beyond language.
Please don’t haggle a price, Respect the history we bring that seems so effortless to you. We are skilled professionals who are trying to make a living just as anyone else. I promise the artist has already spent countless hours deciding their prices with the voice of the masses in their heads asking why.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Being an artist and freelance designer is also choosing to be self motivated. It also requires the wearing of many hats that are in opposition to the joy of the creative process. Keeping the balance can be exhausting, and sometimes the business side can have a numbing effect. I find allowing myself time to discover other artists, visual and musical in my case, helps to keep going. There is one book however that I landed on years ago, that I re-read, have given and shared with others that speaks directly to keeping on track, The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield. It addresses overcoming stagnation, staying organized, motivated and philosophically aligned in the creative process, I think this book also goes beyond just the message to creatives and can apply to anyone in many circumstances when you begin to feel yourself being blocked by the inner voice of negative self doubt.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.krootstudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krootstudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kroot.graphicdesign/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacy-kroot-721a169
• Other: Pinterest

  https://www.pinterest.com/stacy_kroot/

Image Credits

All Images copyright of Stacy Kroot/ Kroot Studio